Level: beginner
As we have already seen in previous articles, you dive off the blocks when making a freestyle or breaststroke start.
However, although they have this in common, there are also plenty of differences! Let’s analyse them together.
FREESTYLE START
Once you are in the “ready” position on the starting block and have chosen your diving technique (grab-start or track-start) as we looked at in the article Presenting the Butterfly start, when you hear the command “go” or the starter’s gun, push off powerfully using your legs with your toes pointed backwards and your arms extended in front of you. Bury your head between your shoulders and choose the right angle of entry.
For the freestyle it is approximately 40°.
Once you have entered the water, try to adopt a streamlined position, so that your body is as hydrodynamic as possible, exploiting the speed you have attained for about two seconds.
After that, make 3-4 fast butterfly leg kicks and come out of the water changing to a freestyle leg kick.
Here’s a piece of advice: try not to breathe during the first 2-3 strokes, so as not to slow down your forward propulsion.
BREASTSTROKE START
When you hear the command “go” or starter’s gun, do exactly the same as for the freestyle start.
After hearing the…
